Reunited
by Revontuli
Summary: Bella is kidnapped by another vampire. This one, however, doesn't want her dead. Post-Eclipse
1. The Kidnapping

_This is a rather strange story I wrote a while back. Like all my other stories, it's already posted on twilightarchives, so if you're desperate to see how it ends, you can always check there xD_

_I tried out a new writing style, so perfection is not to be expected._

x-x-x-x

He stands there, in front of the human girl's bedroom window, and relishes the feeling of finally reaching his goal.

The girl twists in her sleep, mumbling her fiancé's name, and the sensation of victory reaches another high, for he knows that the other vampire won't be here to save her tonight. She is all his, now, and no one can take her away this time. Julie is his forever.

Slowly, he creeps up to the window, and silently opens it with little effort. The warm air from inside blows in his face, and he breathes in the beautiful scent that always surrounds the girl. The impact is stronger than he would have believed, and he has to pause for a moment to compose himself again. But the centuries of practice allow him to calm down quickly, quieting the thirst he feels in his throat. This girl was not dinner. Not Julie.

It doesn't take long for the presence of his greatest love to lure him into the room, where he now stands, gazing at the beautiful young woman before him. She is restless in her sleep; maybe a subconscious part of her knows what's coming and fears it. But she has no reason to be frightened- She is, after all, finally being reunited with her love.

Her fragile body is curled up in a ball, screaming for the missing pair of cold arms to hold her. Soon, very soon, she will receive that frozen touch, though it isn't from who she wishes it to be. Nevertheless, he knows she will learn, that she will remember the memories they both shared before the inevitable happened. And most importantly, he knows she will forgive his act of weakness that had taken place so long ago, and they will be happy, like they should have back then. Julie will live again.

Though the moment is priceless, and he wishes for it to last for eternity, he knows he cannot wait any longer; soon, all too soon, the other vampires will be here to keep him from accomplishing his mission. He glides over to the bed where the girl is sleeping and lifts her up in a swift movement, being careful with her like he always had before. Except for that one time, the time with disastrous consequences. But it doesn't matter now, for she is back there in his arms, where she will stay forever.

Now the girl has awakened, her eye lids fluttering open, and she is staring at him with confusion. Apart from a tiny gasp, she does not make a sound. Perhaps she thinks she is dreaming, or knows that resistance is no use; either way, she is coming quietly.

He does not say a word, but carries her through the woods, letting the moonlight shine on her heart-shaped face. She looks so very different now than before- Her eyes have a depth in them that he doesn't recall, her body slightly thinner and her face a different shape. Yet he recognizes her so clearly, the innocent soul and kind heart he has always cherished are still there, under all the superficial details. The love that has been absent for many years flares up in him again, and he cannot help himself. There, in the lightest part of the forest where the moonlight dances on her ivory skin, he bends down to kiss her.

This is when she notices that she is not dreaming after all, and lets out a scream, but his marble lips break the high tone and force her to quiet. He can sense that she is reluctant about the kiss, and that Julie still hasn't broken free from her cage, and pulls back abruptly. After all, he does not want to kiss this new side of her, the side that belonged to somebody else. The side that would soon be silenced.

Now they have reached the highway, where his getaway car awaits. The vehicle is fast, too fast for the other vampires to follow. They will never see the girl again.

Gently, he sets the girl down on the passenger seat, and then sits down at the wheel, starting the engine. The girl's features are twisted with confusion and fear, her body trembling as she looks up at his blood red eyes. No doubt she thinks that he wants her for dinner, when in truth he wants something much different. He does not want her to be scared, so he speaks his first words since her kidnapping: "It is alright. I do not want to hurt you, Julie."

This did not ease the fear, but brought much more confusion to her eyes. Her full lips open and close a couple of times, like she doesn't know how to say what she's intending to. Eventually, she is able to form a phrase: "I-I'm sorry, but I think you've got the wrong person. I don't know anyone called Julie."

He considers the words for a moment, before he answers: "You simply do not remember, Julie. But you will. I will help you remember."

The girl is not shaking anymore as she turns in her seat to face him. Her body looks tempting under the highway lights, and he resists the urge to swoop down and kiss her again. He would have to wait until Julie is back.

"I'm not Julie. My name is Bella Swan. And my fiancé will be looking for me already, and if your life means anything to you, I strongly advice you to let me out of this car."

The words just pass right through him. They were not spoken by Julie, and so they are worthless to him.

"Be still. Do not talk until it is really you again, Julie. I wish to hear only your voice."

Shock is plain in the girl's eyes, as she shifts them back to the road. Her hands tremble while she goes through the possibilities in her mind, not knowing whether to do as she was told or not. But curiosity claims the better of her, and she asks: "Where are you taking me?"

"Home."

"You took me _away_ from home. Now, where are you taking me?"

The girl's sharp tongue rips a hole in his chest, and before he knows it, he has slapped her across the cheek where a red patch is now forming on her skin. She quickly turns her head away, panic leaking through her very being. This reminds him of Julie again, and he immediately regrets what he has done.

"Forgive me, Julie."

But she does not know that he is referring to more than just the slap, and does not answer, so he continues: "What happened twenty years ago was fully my fault, though you _did_ play your part, as well. But it is only my job to apologize, and to hope that you will find it in yourself to forgive me. Do you?"

He forgets that this is not his Julie yet, or wishes it isn't so the very least, so he speaks freely in front of her now, the memories flooding his mind once again.

_It is silent, except for the soft sobs of his beloved one who is curled up in a corner. The house of her parents is empty, and if things were like they should be, they would both be dancing to their favorite songs at this very moment, instead of arguing like they always seem to be doing these days._

_"Don't cry! I have been truthful to you from the very beginning, explained to you what I am. Why are we still fighting about this?"_

_The girl in the corner looks up from her arms._

_"Because I do not understand, Nicholas! Why is it so hard to change your eating habits? I can't be together with a murderer like you… Here, read this!"_

_She tosses a newspaper article at him. He unfolds it._

_"_**_Psychopath killer still on the loose_**

_The little town of Charpense is still shuddering from fear after yet another unexplainable murder has taken place.  
__This time, the victim was a 39-year-old father of two children, who happened to be walking home from work when the apparently mentally sick serial killer attacked him. Like previously, no body has been found, but only the bloodless left hand was left at the scene. 'Joe was a good man,' the wife says to our interviewer 'He never hurt anybody. That's why this is so hard to understand- Why him? I had read about all the other gruesome murders in the papers, and I warned him not to walk alone so late in the evening, but of course he didn't listen.'  
__And indeed, this was not the first time the mystery killer struck. Joe Hindman is the now 7th victim in the row of murders in Charpense. The police are still on square one- The murderer never leaves any traces, and the only clue so far is the ritual-like removing of the left hand after the attack. According to police chef Robert Ash…"_

_The girl watches him while he reads the article. Once he is done, he looks down at her with a blank expression._

_"I was thirsty, and this man happened to be there. People die all the time, Julie. One more or less doesn't make a difference."_

_This puts the girl in a state of pure rage, and she rises to her feet._

_"Doesn't make a difference?! A father of two small children, Nicholas! You think they don't care? You think it doesn't make any difference to them? They will have to grow up without a father now, all because you refuse to feed on animal blood! You're a monster!"_

_Her harsh words sting him, and he answers with equal fury: "I already promised to leave alone the people you know, Julie! How much more can you expect from me? I cannot change what I am! How would you feel if I told you to feed on only stale bread and water from now on?"_

_"I would do it, if it meant saving other people's lives!"_

_"You don't understand!"_

_"Yes, I do! But you, on the other hand, don't have a heart! Do you even have feelings? Maybe your love for me is only a game after all. Maybe you just want me for dessert!"_

_"FINE! If that's what you want…"_

_The beast is in control of him now. As he crosses the room in a fracture of a second, all he feels is thirst, and all he thinks about is the warm blood that will soon be easing the itching in his throat. He is the hunter now, and the girl is his prey._

_She screams as she grasps his intentions, but the noise doesn't last long before the girl is silenced forever. The warm, sweat blood is pouring down his throat, and the sensation is amazing- How long the monster in him had waited for this day to arrive! But as soon as the girl is drained empty, he notices what he has done. He cannot move, cannot breathe, as he stares down upon the girl he once loved so dearly, who is now just a bloodless corpse among the others. Agony rips through him, tearing at his dead heart, his non-existent soul._

_He does not know how long he has stood there, when he suddenly hears the sound of a car a couple of miles away. The parents are coming home, and he still hasn't destroyed the evidence._

_Caressing his dead lover's cheek for one last time, he digs his teeth into the now cold flesh of the girl's wrist, removing the left hand from the body. And then he heads off into the night, to bury the girl he once loved so dearly._

He remembers that evening perfectly, every scent, every noise, every touch. The girl next to him is still staring out the window, not knowing what to say to this beast. It is not Julie yet, but soon, she will be back.

And they can love each other like they had meant to do from the beginning.


	2. Breakfast at Nicholas'

"Please let me go."

The girl next to him is panicking now. Her eyes jump from one object to the other, as though she doesn't know where to look. Anywhere but in the dark red eyes of the vampire next to her.

She pleads with him every so often, but he stays strong and only repeats the same sentence, "I know you don't want to leave me, Julie." And each time once this is said, the human shudders just a little more and tears form in her eyes. When one of them escapes down her cheek, he brushes it away with his finger, refusing to accept that he is the cause of the crying.

They have now driven for two hours, and are almost at their destination. The sky shows the first signs of dawn, the moon no longer visible to illuminate the girl's lovely face. It is not Julie's face, but he will learn to love it just the same.

The girl is restless now, twisting and turning, and starts pleading with more determination than before, "I'm not Julie! Please, you have to believe me…"

This aggravates the vampire. After all, he has reminded her so often that she will remember in time, but she doesn't seem to understand. He doesn't wish to hurt her, but knows that he might slip in a second, which would not be healthy for the fragile girl next to him.

"Be quiet, love. You are making me angry."

She is screaming now. "Don't call me love! Look, I have no idea who you are! I've never seen you before! For all I know, you could be planning to have me for dessert!"

The images of that fatal night twenty years ago cloud his mind. Those words had been spoken back then, too, by his beloved Julie, and they sting as much as they did back then. But he fights back the rage with some effort. He won't make the same mistake again, he won't.

The drive is now over, and they are parked in front of an ancient-looking, stone house in the middle of the woods. The house is overgrown with vines, the first sun rays of the day barely touching the surface of the gray stone underneath them. Only a few windows are unconcealed by the thick plants, and those that are visible have iron bars. It is a house of no escape.

She protests as he lifts her in his arms again, carrying her into the depths of the gloomy house, but he ignores them, thinking only of the happy memories they will be sharing in here for years to come. As soon as Julie returns, he will be happy again.

Walking at vampire speed, he brings the girl up to her new room, where a bed with comfortable cushions awaits. The chamber is large, and he knows she will enjoy it, for there is a bookshelf that covers an entire wall, filled with books even Julie hasn't had time to read yet. The many hours they will spend discussing them, comparing characters and searching for symbols in the texts! He can already hear her laughter when she comes to an amusing part of a story, and willing to share it with him, she will read it out loud, and then they will talk, until Julie must sleep again.

But Julie is not here yet, and the girl does not rejoice at the sight of the books. She keeps her eyes on him, like she is afraid that he will kill her when she looks away. Her stomach rumbles, letting her captor know that she is hungry and needs something to eat. So he sets her down on her new bed, covered in magenta satin sheets, and leaves her to explore her new surroundings.

Downstairs, he can hear her pacing the length of the room, here and then letting a book drop on the ground or calling her fiancé's name. Every once in a while she tries the door, but she cannot open it, because he has bolted it from the outside. All along, he prepares her breakfast in the kitchen, like he has practiced doing many times before. He lays the table with the finest china, for only the best is good enough for his love. And he must make up for the many years they have missed.

Once the eggs are boiled and the bread is cut, he goes to fetch the girl from her prison. The sight is not a happy one- Her eyes are swollen and her cheeks wet with tears, her whole being shaking from anguish. It breaks his heart to see his dear this way, but he knows there is nothing he can do for her until Julie is back.

"In the closet are fresh clothes for you. Do change-I'm sure that will make you much more comfortable."

At first the girl does not move, but only stares at him in disbelief. She is curled up in a ball on her bed, her pajamas strained with tears. After he repeats his request, the girl stands up in defeat and walks over to the closet on the far side of the room. There she stares at the clothes inside, all from the world's top designers and very elegant, the way he likes Julie the best. He leaves the room to give her privacy for the change, this time leaving the door open for her to come and join him downstairs.

When she doesn't come down after a while, he starts to get anxious, wondering what could possibly take her this long. And when he finally hears her hurried footsteps coming down the stairs, he understands why she is running- The girl is trying to escape! The attempt is in vain, of course, for the vampire is many times faster and stronger than she is, but it disappoints him to see that she still wishes to flee.

He drags the struggling girl to the table, and sits her down on one of the mahogany chairs opposite to his. The girl looks at the food hungrily, but does not touch it, glancing at the front door every few seconds instead.

"The door is locked, my dear. Now eat."

She lifts up a piece of bread, but does not reach for the butter. "Is this poisoned or something? If you want to kill me, I'm sure there's an easier way to do so."

The familiar sensation of fury flares up in him again, like every time she talks of her death. "I do not want to kill you, Julie. The way I didn't want to twenty years ago, either. But you know I might slip if you anger me like this."

Hesitantly, the girl butters the bread and brings it to her mouth, taking a small bite off the edge. Her appetite wins the battle then, and she devours it with as much passion as she can muster in her current situation. And seeing that she isn't going to die from it, she takes another, and then an egg, and then yet another.

He watches her throughout the whole process, every bite reminding him more and more of the Julie he loved. As she is buttering her third piece of bread, he decides to start the conversation he has dreamt of for so long.

"Do you know how I found you again, Julie? If not, shall I tell you?"

The girl pauses and looks up at him. The meal hasn't erased any of her confusion or fear, and her eyes are still wet from crying. "Randomly, I supposed. Because you've got the wrong girl."

"No, I'm pretty sure you are the one." The girl shakes her head.

"I… I can see that you love this Julie, whoever she is, a lot. And I'm really sorry for whatever happened between the two of you. But I'm not her, ok? I don't love you! For heaven's sake, I don't even know your name! I'm getting married in a few weeks time to the man _I_ want and need. He's surely looking for me already, and it won't take long for him to find me. So please, _please_, if you have a heart, let me go!"

She is hysterical now, but tries to stay calm while she speaks, hoping that maybe, just maybe, he will believe her this time. But the vampire is sure of his reasons. "I do love you, Julie. I do. The other vampire won't find us. And my name is Nicholas, as you don't seem to remember. But do you want to hear the story or not?"

Nicholas doesn't wait for an answer.

"Right after… what happened, I buried you under an oak in the forest. _This_ forest, to be exact. Remember this house? The fun we used to have in here playing cards on a rainy day? In summer we would go hiking for hours, and once you got tired, I always carried you back home. You don't remember? Don't worry, dear, you will. And if not, I'll make sure we have plenty of new happy memories before your time is up. And then I'll find you again.

"After I buried you, I sat there for hours, crying tearlessly. My soul was on fire- No pain can compare with what I felt that night. And every twilight, the agony came back. That's when I made myself the promise to find you, wherever you were, and bring you back to me. I knew I couldn't die myself, for I would go to hell while you were waiting in heaven, so I had to think of something else. After years of studying, I came across a book about reincarnation. You have no idea how I felt after I'd read it! Suddenly there was a chance of having you again, my Julie, just in a different body! Hope! I desperately hoped that this was the case, that you were born again as someone else.

"But one problem remained- How could I find you? The book states that a human does not remember anything of their previous lives when they are reborn. I did not give up, though, and started doing my research on the subject.

"Eventually, I heard an interesting theory, which, in the end, led me to you. A monk told me that the preferences and tastes stay the same after death, and that what you liked before in your life as Julie, you would enjoy now, as well. Alas, this information wasn't helpful at first, because how could I go to every human being on Earth to ask what their favorite color is? I had to find a way to limit the choices, somehow… That is when I went to Volterra."

The girl gasps, but Nicholas is too lost in his story to notice. He is looking over her shoulder, seeing things she cannot, and is clearly not living in this moment. The human has stopped eating, and is staring at the vampire with shock in her eyes. He continues.

"There I was told an interesting story- About a vampire, Edward was his name, and his human lover Isabella. The predator and prey, together! The others laughed at this, but I did not- after all, I had been in a similar situation some years ago. These two lovebirds were not the first ones to try it; they were just worthless copies of the original! _We_ were the original, Nicholas and Julie, the true ones they should praise with their talks of mental strength! And that's when it hit me. You were the first human on Earth to adore a vampire, the only human crazy enough, I may add. What are the chances of that happening again to someone else? Small, the chances were very small. So what if this Isabella wasn't _someone else_? What if it was Julie, my beloved Julie? What if your insane attraction to vampires was carried with you to your next life?

"And so I decided to find out more about Isabella. I knew she lived in Forks, but I couldn't go there, for fear of the other vampires catching me. You are probably wondering how I got past them? Past the psychic and the mind-reader? I shall tell you- I have an ability of my own. It's not so much about what I can _do_, but more about what others _cannot_. Other abilities don't work on me, you see. It's a peculiar gift, and I can tell you that Aro was quite pleased with it, so pleased that he even offered me a place in his guard! I would have so liked to join them, it is every vampire's dream, but I couldn't abandon my search for you, so I refused.

"This was about two months ago. It didn't take long for me to be convinced that Isabella was indeed the girl I was looking for. Everything fit so perfectly! Once I was sure I was ready with my plan, I took the next flight to Seattle. I knew the mind-reader and his family were away hunting for the weekend, so I decided to strike.

"Last night was the first time I saw Isabella. I must say, she is almost as beautiful as you were, and I'm sure I'll learn to love her body as much as I did yours. But first we have to bring you back."

Nicholas ends his story there, but still doesn't lift his eyes from whatever is happening in the other dimension she cannot see. The girl sits completely still, processing the new information in her mind. The moment is quiet, but full of meaning, though the significance of it is different to them both. For him, it's a moment of pure bliss of finally being with the one he loves the most. For her, it's an awkward moment of thinking how hurt the man will be once he finds out the truth. She sympathizes with him a little, knowing how agonizing losing a loved one can be.

But still, what right had he to abduct her like this? Now he is causing someone else the pain he felt back then, and the girl sheds another tear at the thought of her fiancé, who is undoubtedly frantic by now.


	3. Les cheveux bruns

_At his point, I would like to remind everybody that this story is one of my strange experiments. I wanted to try a different writing style, hence the 3rd person and present tense. I am fully aware that the story is weird xD_

_Thank you for reading, and please review if you have the time._

x-x-x-x

"Now, what shall I do to make you remember?"

The girl is sitting on the mahogany chair timidly, her hands clasped together and her shoulders raised. She does not know what to say to the intimidating vampire before her, and does not dare to move, in case it angers her abductor. Nicholas paces the room, mumbling to himself too quietly for her to hear.

At last he turns to gaze to his love. "I know! Remember that day in July, twenty years ago? It was raining, like it is now, and the air was colder than it should be in summer. Say you remember!"

But the girl only widens her eyes. Nicholas crosses the room in an instant, and now leans down towards his love, one hand on her upper arm. "Think! We lit a fire in the hearth, because you said you enjoyed the warmth, and then I did your hair. We just sat there the whole day, talking and laughing, and you were glowing in the light of the fire! You were so beautiful… Now your hair may be a different color and much longer than it was then, and maybe you won't glow the same, but perhaps it will make the memories resurface! Yes, this is what we'll do. Go upstairs and change into the woolen pullover you have in your closet. It's similar to the one you were wearing that evening."

She shudders from his touch, and he quickly pulls his hand away. At first she does not move, but looks like she's about to protest, but when she sees the look in the vampire's blood red eyes, she rises to her feet and heads upstairs. She stops on the stairs once, glancing longingly at the front door, and then almost runs the rest of the way after hearing his impatient growl.

Nicholas places some wood in the ancient fireplace in the living room and lights it up with a match. The logs are dry and ignite almost instantly, the flames now casting a warm luminosity into the room. He then pushes an armchair closer to the fire and fetches a brush and some hair pins. The scene is very alike to the one that took place many years ago, and he smiles in delight. How long he has waited for this moment to arrive!

When the girl comes from her room again, she stops by the foot of the stairs, looking at the equipment and the vampire with fear. But he does not want her, this beautiful creature, to be afraid, and says with his most reassuring voice, "Come here, Julie, and sit down. I will not hurt you, like I've said so many times." The girl hesitantly walks over to the armchair, but does not sit down.

"You… you don't need to do my hair. I'm so sorry, I truly am, but I'm _not_ Julie. I don't believe in reincarnation and things like that, and if you… you… _killed_ Julie then she's probably not on this planet anymore." He does not answer, but pushes her on the armchair and takes a seat behind her.

"Your hair is very nice, now. I actually like it better this way. Thank god you were reborn as a human girl! I cannot imagine what I'd do if you were a man, or even worse - an animal! I'd love you all the same, I think… But this way it is definitely better." And so he takes her hair in his hands, and combs it through with his fingers. The girl shudders from his frosty touch, she even tries to pull away, but his grip is too strong, so she raises her knees up to her chest and closes her eyes.

He does not like her rigid position, but nothing he says can relieve her, so he ignores it instead, knowing it will pass once Julie is back.

"Your hair is very soft, I must say… yes, I definitely like it better now. Back then your hair was so thin, somehow. Don't get me wrong, I still loved every strand of it. But now I love it even more."

The girl starts trembling. After a moment of silence, the only sound coming from the brush in her hair, she finally mumbles without looking up, "_Please_ stop. I-I'm not Julie. I'm not."

But he does not give in to her wishes, and says, "No, Julie, you don't want me to stop. _Isabella_ wants me to stop. But not you. Come back, please. We have so much to discuss. For one, I read this incredible book a few months back. I think you might like it very much. Maybe you already know it?"

And he talks to her about every book his has read in the last twenty years, every theatre he has visited, every movie he has seen. Every now and then he directs a question to the girl, but she never answers them, never even looks up from her knees. So he just ignores this gesture, and continues his monologue.

He has finished brushing the girl's hair, and is now piling it up on her head. He starts to place the pins in it, letting some random strands fall down, the way he remembers the woman of his time doing.

"I remember watching my sisters doing each other's hair… they were very pretty, young women, who would soon be married away. My father was a landlord, you see, and we had the fortune of being wealthier than many others of my time. And back then, only the fewest had the privilege of choosing their wives and husbands themselves. My father had picked out a young lady from a nearby town for me, Mary was her name, I believe. The memories fade pretty fast, so I don't remember much… I only know how much I despised her. She was the last woman on Earth I wanted to marry.

"I suppose what happened next was destiny. I was walking the grounds one evening, trying to come up with a way to get rid of my future wife, when I was attacked. The only thing I remember is something flying right at me, a bite at the throat and then the fire. Even today I do not know why that vampire stopped - perhaps someone interrupted him? Perhaps he came to second thoughts? I will never know. Either way, I lay there on the field for over three days. It is a wonder nobody found me. Later I found out that I was screaming at such a loud volume, that the peasants thought I was a demon and dared not come close. How right they were! A demon, indeed…"

His thoughts drift away at that, as he remembers his life before Julie. The many nights he spent alone, wondering if he would have to live that way forever… His hands drop down from the girl's hair and land on both her shoulders. She shivers, once again, at the contact, her muscles tensing even more, but she does not look up. In her head, she is wishing for her real love to come, soon, to save her from this beast. She thinks about his angelic face, his gentle lips, his velvet voice, and immediately feels more homesick than she ever has before. A sob escapes her lips, which snaps the man out of his thoughts and back to reality.

"You still don't remember? This will be harder than I thought… please, are you even trying to remember?"

She raises her head for the first time to look deeply into the vampire's eyes. "I'm…not…Julie," she says slowly, emphasizing each word "That's why I can't remember. I'm not her. I'm just not. Please, let me go home."

Her voice sounds weak and miserable to his ears, and he sees that she has wept throughout the whole monologue. A flash of pain runs through his body, for he hates seeing his love so grieved. Without thinking, he bends down to give her a tight hug, tight, but not enough to hurt her. The girl shrinks back from his embrace, but he pretends not to notice and holds her even tighter. "Don't be upset. I'm sorry we have to go through this phase, but it is inevitable. You already _are_ home."

"N-no! Let go of me!" The fear in her shriek is so evident, that the vampire releases her and takes a step back. With the light of the fire, the girl's ivory skin doesn't look pale anymore, but has a healthy glow to it. And even with her eyes swollen and red and her trembling body, he can appreciate the sight of his gorgeous loved one. The urge to kiss her is almost too strong to resist.

"I'm sorry, love. Let us talk instead of touch, all right? Now, where should I begin… hmmm…"

Nicholas takes a step forward again, and sits on the armrest of the chair the girl is sitting in. "I know! Let's talk about the day we met, shall we? You often referred to it as the best day of your life."

The girl is staring at the flames in the fireplace, seemingly oblivious to his words. He knows that she is listening, however, and begins his third tale of the day.

"It was the first warm day of the year. Spring was well on its way, flowers blooming in the fields, birds singing their merry songs, the trees blossoming with colors of every kind, the scent gorgeous… The sun still hadn't set, even though it was well into the evening. I was pacing the streets, enjoying the sounds and smells of the beginning summer, for once not hunting, like I usually do in the evening.

"The path I was on was normally a deserted one. It didn't lead anywhere, and was mostly used for hiking, but who would hike at that time anymore? I thought I was safe from humans there, that I could run without disturbance. I was wrong.

"Suddenly, I heard humming. A human was close by; I could already smell the scent of her blood, calling me to feed on it… And though I had been planning to refer from killing that night, I couldn't help myself, and the predator in me took the reign. I started walking towards the source of the simple tune, slower, as not to scare the human away. You see, I like to enjoy my food, and often talk to my prey before revealing my real intentions. It gives me satisfaction to know that the last minutes of their lives weren't miserable. And once the time comes for them to part from this world, it'll come too fast for them to even notice. I do not torture my prey."

The topic does not please the girl. She shudders at the thought of all the poor humans, who just happened to be walking down the wrong road at night. The vampire's hunting habits are not something she is interested in, though it does soothe her to know that if he decides to kill her after all, it will be painless. Nicholas notices his love's distress, and quickly moves on to another topic.

"As I was drawing closer to the unlucky human, my coming dinner, I couldn't help wondering why it felt so… off. There was nothing unusual about the situation, at first glance. But there was something in the air; no, not in the air - in _me_. Something new. A new feeling, perhaps, and I found that I quite enjoyed it. The melody that the human girl was humming was so calming, in a way. I felt myself slow down, as if I didn't want her to stop.

"The predator was losing his power over me. The craving for blood was drowned by a new urge - of being close to this girl? Was I losing me mind? Maybe I was, but I wasn't bothered by it. On the contrary, actually. The new emotions that had piled up in me caused me pleasure beyond measure, and I cherished the feeling.

"By now I had reached the human, and she had seen me approach. The humming ended, which immediately left me yearning for the sound. So I decided to talk to her, to be able to hear her voice again.

"'Hello, my lady. What are you doing here alone, on such a fine day?'

"'Uh, just walking, I guess… searching for signs of the coming summer.'

"You enjoyed being outdoors, observing the cycles that make up the course of nature. And I must say, that evening, you were the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. The reddish light of the setting sun illuminated your face in a way I had not thought possible. You positively glowed. The warm winds flushed your cheeks. And your eyes… ah, your eyes. They did not have the depth in them that they do now, but they were pure beauty. They glittered. In that instant, I forgot who I was, _what_ I was, and only knew one thing - I was in love. With a human girl. And you had not spoken so much as a sentence yet! Ridiculous, you may think, but there was an undeniable bond between us from the very beginning. Later you told me you felt it, too. Love at first sight? No, it was more.

"I offered to walk with you, and you accepted. This surprised me; usually, humans understand to keep their distance from me, as though they know what a dangerous creature I am. But I could not find any hesitance in your eyes, like I do now. Yes, I see you are scared at the moment. But I assure you, none of that fear is reasonable."

The girl shakes her head. She still hasn't lifted her gaze from the warm fire, and her position is as tense as ever. In her head, she is picturing the story of the vampire and the girl, understanding only too well the emotions involved. She can easily identify herself with the human, and hadn't the vampire been about to commit a murder, she would be able sympathize with him, as well. But being held hostage by that very man did not aid any positive feelings towards him.

"That's how it all began. But you do not remember."

"No. I couldn't remember, seeing as I'm not her."

"Silly, silly Julie. Of course it's you."

A moan escapes the girl's lips. She is tired, so tired, of pleading with the vampire, and sees he is too stubborn and sure of himself to grasp the truth. Even though it is barely lunchtime, she feels exhausted, and wishes for nothing more than the familiar cold embrace of her real love. But that love is not there. Tears are rolling down her cheeks again, and she wonders how much she will have to cry before there are no tears left to wet her face.


	4. Desperation

_The Cullen House, 1 week after Bella's disappearance_

x-x-x-x

"There has got to be some place we haven't looked yet."

The vampire is pacing the length of the living room, his usually light, butterscotch eyes darkened with anguish and worry. The gazes of the rest of his family follow his every move, but they do not interfere the rigid pondering. Their thoughts all lead in the same direction- the human girl, the love of their brother's life, missing. Some minds are stained with more anxiety for their brother, some with more for Isabella. The honey blond vampire at the edge of the room senses Edward's desperation, but nothing he attempts can ease the pain.

"Please, Edward. Sit down. Let's go through every detail again. Maybe we missed something the first time. We'll find Bella, I'm sure."

Edward does not sit down, nor show any other signs of calming down. The fragrance of his beloved Bella still lingers in the room, and if he were capable of crying, he is sure the house would be flooded by his tears by now. The misery it so deep, it threatens to bury him, but he cannot afford to drown in self-pity, for he knows Bella is out there somewhere, possibly terrified or in pain, maybe even dead…

No. He must not believe she is dead. She must be alive. For the sake of his sanity, she must still be breathing, if not for herself, then at least for him.

The hole that has been absent for so many months now is throbbing once again. The pain is different this time, as now he does not have the last resort of returning to her. He does not know where Bella is, who is with her, or why. This thought rips the gap in his chest even further.

But he must not feel his own pain now, for his misery is meaningless compared to the one of his love. She is surely in panic, fearing for her life, in not just mental, but perhaps even physical pain- What does his agony weigh next to that? So he forces his thoughts in a new direction, to think about the possibilities.

The pixie-like vampire sitting on the white couch begins. "We came back in the morning to find that Bella was gone."

Hearing the name causes a wave of pain to wash through Edward. The only thing holding him together is the calming effect of his blond brother, who must concentrate with all his might to keep Edward functioning.

The pixie continues. "Her future had disappeared earlier that evening, but that didn't get us worried because we thought the wolves were responsible."

The wolves. A fracture of the pain is replaced by anger. Why had they not kept an eye out for her? Why had they neglected their duties that very night? Wasn't that their task, to keep humans safe?

"You know, Edward, I still think it might have been that dog, Jacob. Considering that he is missing without a trace, he may well have something to do with this. It wouldn't surprise me. Maybe he got sick of seeing you and Bella together, so he decided to abduct her, so he could have her all for himself? They say mutts can be unpredictable when they get angry, so it wouldn't be a wonder."

"No, Emmett. The wolves had nothing to do with this. Jacob has been missing for a fair while already, and nothing links him to Bella's room," the clear authority in the room defends their natural enemies.

The muscular vampire argues back, "Except for Alice's disappearing visions."

The interrupter of their short argument is the fairy. "How do you explain the vampire's scent in Bella's bedroom, then? One of us was in there, that's for sure."

This causes the pacing vampire to cripple from the agony. He sinks to the floor, gasping for air he doesn't really need, and struggles to free his mind from the pain. A vampire, a bloodthirsty vampire, was in his Bella's room while she was alone, smelling as appetizing as ever. And he hadn't been there to protect her when she needed it the most. No, he had been hunting animals, drinking their blood, giving in to _his_ needs while his fragile angel was in danger. The thought about what might have happened crossed his mind, try as hard as he might to suppress it - that if that vampire had been thirsty, and had killed her in her own bedroom? Edward can only imagine the expression on his love's face when she realizes the presence of her uninvited visitor, the terror slowly creeping in when she recognizes the blood-red eyes of her predator…

A pair of hands is pulling Edward into an embrace, but he shakes them off and stands up again with all the strength he can manage. He will not rest until Bella is found, not if it takes an eternity. If only he had that long!

The motherly vampire who had been kneeling next to him rises with him, only to give him a grieved look with little reassurance.

"Please calm down, dear."

"_Calm down?_ Bella's been missing for a _week_ already! The reason of my existence has disappeared into thin air without a warning, leaving no clue behind, and you tell me to calm down? We should be searching for her, instead of sitting here doing nothing."

"We'll find her, Edward. But running all over the place won't help at all. We need to go over the facts. I'm sure Bella's still alive, wherever she is. If that vampire had been hunting, why would he have left Charlie alone? The room was in perfect condition, with not a single drop of blood anywhere. If Bella was hurt, it wasn't done there, in her room. And why would any vampire have kidnapped her for the sole purpose of drinking her blood? Why make it so difficult? Why refuse two meals?"

These words calm him down enough to think again. Sure, this theory is full of flaws, but he must not think about them. He must only believe that she's alright, wherever the world she may be.

The fatherly figure redeems their listing of the facts. "So we found an unfamiliar scent in Bella's room. We asked Charlie if he had heard or seen anything at night, but of course his answer was no. The vampire was careful not to disturb his sleep; he didn't even leave Bella's room at any point. He just came through the window, took Bella, and left."

He pauses there, to give the others a chance to express their ideas. No suggestions come, so he proceeds, "We followed the trail in the morning. He ran through the woods to the highway, but there the scent disappears. He must have had a car waiting for him there. By the manner in which he acted, I'd say he or she must be working alone."

"Aw, Edward, can I finish him off once we find him, can I? I know you'd probably like to kill him yourself, but I'm in desperate need of some action…"

Edward ignores his brother's humorous pleads. His mind can only think about his love, and his love alone. The hatred which he feels towards her abductor is so great that he knows he will not show any signs of pity once they are face-to-face. The vampire is going to die, for sure. Nobody touches his precious Bella.

"There's not much else we can say. We have searched all neighboring towns for her, without luck. No one has seen or heard anything."

He is pacing the room again, thinking of the possibilities. After a while of silence, Edward says with the calmest voice he can manage, "Maybe we should ask the Volturi. If they have something to do with this, they will not lie to you, Carlisle. Even if they have no hand in Bella's disappearance, maybe they know of someone who has."

"Very well, Edward. Shall I make the call? Or do you wish to do it yourself?"

The temptation to talk to Aro is almost overwhelming. After all, he and his guard might well be the cause of the abduction, and if so, there is no way he is escaping Edward's wrath. But from fear of offending the Volturi, he turns down the offer. If the Volturi were to confess any interference, they would not do so to a crazed fiancé longing for their deaths.

So Edward continues to pace the room, seeing the face of his personal angel in his mind, remembering her touch, her smell, her voice. If there is justice for vampires in the world, surely God would not punish him by killing _her_, the quintessence of goodness?

He can only hope.


	5. Tick Tock

_A little information for this chapter:_

_'NSA' means 'No Special Ability'_

x-x-x-x

_Tick Tock_

The clock on her prison's night table makes an unbearable noise. Every day, every night, every breathe, every sigh…

_Tick Tock_

The seconds tick by. She knows that with each second, time flies on, but the knowledge does her no good. Time has ceased to mean much to her.

_Tick Tock_

She sits on the bed, not wanting to sleep, but not wanting to stay awake, either. The house is silent, the only sound her uneven breathing and…

_Tick Tock_

Horrendous. The girl snatches the modern clock from the table and throws it at the wall with tremendous force. The clockwork pieces shatter in front of her eyes, making the loudest noise of the day, but soon silence takes its place again, now even heavier without the ticking.

The sound has alerted her captor, however, and she knows that he will soon be up to see to it. Strangely, this fact soothes her, for now she can at least prepare herself for his arrival. The days usually consist of nervous waiting, not knowing when he might rush in with a new plan of some sort. Knowledge is a privilege she does not often enjoy.

And sure enough, soon she can hear the bolts on the outside of her door being turned, and light enters the room from the hallway. He steps in, closing the door behind him.

"Ah, Julie… Why do you keep your room dark? I'm sure you would be much more comfortable with some light."

He clicks the switch on the back wall, illuminating the room for the first time in hours. The girl flinches, as her eyes are not adjusted to such light, but does not make a sound. Now, with the room alight, her face is visible, too- the swollen, red eyes that have already used up all their tears, the messy memory of a hairstyle that might have once been elegant. She is shivering, like she always is, and is not looking the vampire in the eye.

"Did you break your clock? How silly of you. Now you won't know what time it is! I could get you another, I suppose, but you would probably break that one, too, would you not?"

The girl does not think it was very silly of her at all. Time is just an endless void, flying in a spiral towards an end that is not yet in sight. Will it ever be?

"Accompany me downstairs. I hate leaving you alone like this, and I hate being alone, myself. You're trembling - I'm sure you could use some warmth from the fire. Come."

She stands up shakily, knowing objection is no use, and follows the man out of the room. A meal is waiting for her downstairs - laid out on silverware, candles burning in the middle of the table. Her dinners are always like this, yet they bring her no joy, the rich foods only taste like cardboard in her mouth. Nicholas is holding the chair for her, and she slides on it, turning to her evening meal. Turkey and vegetables.

Nicholas sits on the opposite side of the table, and observes the girl as she picks up her fork and stabs a slice of carrot. He can see the lifeless look in her eyes, containing the only emotion they ever display - fear. She has stopped arguing with him days ago, having no more energy left to do so. Every now and then, she will still utter a short plead, but they remain unheard.

The evening is like every other, yet there is more desperation in it than before. The girl is stubborn, and still insists that she doesn't remember. The vampire is beginning to feel hopeless, for he has gone through every plan he can think of, with no luck. This angers him, the exasperation standing out more than before. He is irritable tonight.

"Julie, please try to remember. I feel like you aren't putting any real effort in this at all, and that frustrates me more than you can comprehend. Of course I know you are stubborn, but this is not the time for games!"

The girl only shrugs, keeping her eyes firmly on her plate as she does so. There's nothing she can say- Contradicting will only set him off more, and she cannot lie by saying she will try. The apparent nonchalance of the girl angers him even more.

"Damn it, Julie! What must I do? Are you still angry at me, is that it? You're punishing me for what I did to you, torturing me with your silence! But I have apologized, have I not? Many times. How can you still remain so full of dispassion?"

These screamed words startle the girl. Never before has he gone this far, never before has he even raised his voice, and now he is standing, shaking with anger. The situation is threatening, she recognizes, and knows she must act immediately. She shifts her eyes to the vampire before her, and mumbles, "I'm not punishing you for anything, my… _love_." The last word burns in her mouth, as it is only meant for a particular person, a vampire that was nothing like the one at present. But it is the only word that can calm him down. The effect is instantaneous.

"Julie! So you do remember! Ah, I've missed you, my dear! So many years…"

The girl is thrown into a hug so tight it knocks the breath right out of her. She can feel wet, cold lips in her hair, on her cheeks, and tries her best to ignore them, thinking of her angel instead. How horrible he must feel when he finds out what she must pretend to be… the lover of a monster. Words fail her, so she nods as an acknowledgment to his exclamation.

"This is wonderful! We must celebrate. Hold on, I will get the champagne! That's what humans do, don't they? When they wish to celebrate something?"

In a flash of blurred white, he is gone, only to return a few seconds later, holding a bottle and glass in his hands. He sets them down, pours some of the bubbling liquid in the clear, crystal glass, and hands it to her. She takes a small sip, not enjoying the bitter taste of alcohol on her tongue, and twists her lips up in a small, unnatural smile.

"Are…Are you not thirsty, Nicholas? Your eyes are pretty dark."

True enough, his irises are a shade of the darkest ruby, reaching pitch-black at the centre. He has not hunted for a long while, making him more of a threat to his love than before. He struggles with the craving of drinking from her constantly, but it surprises him that she has noticed. She never noted his eye-color when they went camping together twenty years ago.

"I suppose I am quite thirsty. I will need to hunt soon. But I hate to leave you… I only just got you back! Do not worry; I am not a danger to you, my love, never!"

A plan forms inside the girl's head. If he goes out to hunt and she is left alone, surely she must be able to find a way to escape? He would be gone for hours, for they are far away from any other humans, and she would have enough time to explore the house. There must be a way out!

"I-I don't want you uncomfortable, _love_. Just go. I'll be fine. I-I could take a bath or something. I look a mess."

And she _is_ a mess. Though the man had forced her to wash herself twice so he could do her hair, and she had changed clothes every day, the exhaustion of being held captive had clearly rubbed off on her. When she takes a bath, Nicholas cannot be with her. So why not use that time for _his_ needs, as well?

"Very well. If that is what you want. There is a town nearby; I should be back in an hour if I leave now. Have you finished with your dinner, dearest?"

With that he stands up, pulling the girl with him, and plants a kiss on her cheek. There he realizes how thirsty he really is - the aroma of the girl's blood calls to him, intoxicating, filling his mind with gruesome images of draining the life out of her. How sweet her blood much taste, when it smells so exquisite already? The temptation to bite her is hard to resist. But then he remembers that night twenty years ago, and abruptly pulls away. He will not make the same mistake twice!

"I must leave. The door will be locked, for I am still a little mistrusting. I hope you can understand that, Julie. If you need anything, just call. I'll have my cell phone with me. The number is on the table. Take that bath of yours, and make yourself nice! Tonight, we will be playing cards, like we always used to do. And now you remember! It will be relieving to be finally able to touch you, to feel you, to kiss you… But after I have hunted!"

The girl does not move as she watches the vampire walk out of the room. She dreads the evening already, when she will have to be playing the part of the lover, letting him touch and kiss her like only the other vampire had the right to. When the front door closes, she can hear the lock being turned, and sighs in defeat. She yearns for freedom, for the safe arms of her fiancé, but the thick, wooden door hinders her from fleeing. But the house is big- Don't all houses have another exit? Perhaps an open window? Soon she will know.

She knows that he is still listening to her every move, so she pretends to climb up the stairs to the bathroom. There she fills the tub, adding soap to the hot water to make bubbles. This does not take her long, but now she knows that he is out of hearing-reach, convinced that she is, indeed, taking that bath. She turns off the tap and begins her journey through the house.

The bottom floor seems like the most sensible place to start. She runs down the stairs and arrives in the living room, where the cursed front door is also standing. Apart from her own bedroom, this is the room she has been in the most, and she knows there are no exits here. The kitchen on the east side of the room is also barricaded, so she might as well spare herself that effort. To the backside of the room, however, is a row of closed doors, leading to parts of the house she has never visited before. She hurries over, and finds the first door unlocked. Cautiously, she steps in.

The room is smaller than she thought it would be, and to her great disappointment it has neither doors nor windows, just bare, white walls. A big table, similar to the one in the living room, is positioned in the center. On it, the girl can see endless numbers of sheets of paper, laid out chaotically. The curiosity gains the better of her, and she walks over to pick up one sheet. It is covered in old-fashioned, elegant writing, almost indecipherable, but she can make out a couple of familiar names:

"Carlisle Cullen – Doctor. Changed 1663. NSA

Esme Anne Platt Evenson Cullen – Housewife. Changed 1921. NSA

Edward Anthony Masen Cullen – Changed 1918. Mind-reader (side note: power has no effect)

Rosalie Lillian Hale – Changed 1933. NSA

Emmett McCarty Cullen – Changed 1935. NSA

Jasper Whitlock Hale – Changed 1863. Used to be in an army of newborns (side note: danger?) Senses and controls emotions (side note: ability will not be a problem)

Mary Alice Brandon Cullen – Changed in the 1920's. Psychic (side note: power has no effect)

Isabella Marie Swan – "

The last name is followed by a long description or habits and flaws. The other sheets on the table contain parallel information, birth certificates, copies of passports, old pictures… Nicholas' amount of knowledge of her previous life shocks the girl, and she rushes out of the room, closing the door behind her. She must not waste time by thinking about this now.

There is another door on the left, and it, too, appears not to be locked. Hoping for better luck, the girl walks inside.

This room is slightly bigger than the last, and not as disturbing. It is furnished with large couches, rugs, and some table lamps, placed on antique counters. There is a window on the far side of the room, but to the girl's great dismay, it is tightly closed, the iron bars discarding the idea of breaking the glass. The room brings no solution, so the girl steps back out.

Desperation and helplessness cloud the girl's mind, causing tears to emerge. She glances at the clock to find that she has only ten more minutes. The determination that had been such a prominent emotion in her a while ago disappears, giving the despair full reign. What does it matter if she manages to escape the house? The forest is big, and her captivator so much faster than she is, her strong scent would leave a clear trail for him to follow. No, it is hopeless! The girl shrinks on the floor, curling into a ball. Deep down, a small voice is telling her to run, to keep searching, but her pessimistic thoughts are prominent. She has failed - disappointed her fiancé by not being safe for the one time he leaves her!

Sobbing and weeping, she remembers all the happy memories from the past two years. They cause her pain and solace at the same time, making her forget her surroundings, her situation. All she can see is him, hear his voice telling her to run.

Amongst all the anguish, the girl can hear the door crash open.

"Bella!"


	6. Silhouettes of smoke

_The last chapter! Thank you for reading._

x-x-x-x

_"Bella!"_

Can it be?

"Bella, goodness! Bella!"

She must have died. Maybe Nicholas killed her after he couldn't find any prey nearby? For surely this could not be anything but heaven.

The marble arms Bella missed for so long are suddenly holding her, cradling her, soothing her desperate crying. But now her weeping has a different note to it - the hopelessness is gone, replaced entirely by relief and gratitude. The velvet voice of her loved one fills her head, removing all signs of pain.

"Did he hurt you? Do you know why he took you? Where is he now? Shh, it's alright, I'm here. Just wait until he comes back…"

Edward can feel Bella in his arms, the warm, soft skin of her bare arms wrapped around him. The release is tremendous; Bella is there, safe and sound, alive! The hatred towards her abductor is covered by joy, even if only for the moment, causing tearless sobs to almost overwhelm him.

"Edward! I-I can't believe you're here. I was so scared…"

So he scared her. The creature, the beast, the _monster_ had dared to terrify his angel.

"I know, Bella, I know. But it's over now. You're safe. Let's get you out of this cursed prison before the other vampire…"

"Edward! Look out!"

Bella had been too lost in the bliss to notice the other vampires crowd the room. There they stand, the whole Cullen family, gazing upon the lovers with satisfaction clear in their features. The pixie in the corner, however, is looking at the front door with a worried expression. Both lovers turn their heads in that direction.

A white figure emerges at the doorway, staring at the shattered pieces of broken wood. Realization hits him immediately. "Julie!" Another vampire is there, in the house with his love, possibly willing to take her away. The Cullens! Nicholas attempts to duck at the vampire holding his dearest, but is pushed back by a wall of stone.

"Don't go anywhere near her! Nobody kidnaps my brother's fiancé…" The big, burly vampire is talking, staring at Nicholas with a look of death. He is lifted up in an instant, and crashes against the back wall of the living room, landing on the wooden floor with a loud thud. Nicholas is enraged as he rises to his feet again, and, snarling loudly, smashes into the big vampire.

Bella is watching the combat from the safe haven of Edward's arms, shivering slightly more with each punch and growl. Edward is shivering, too, wanting to join the fight, but reluctant to leave his love's side. Ultimately, the temptation of punishing Bella's captor wins the battle, and he calls out to his family to stop.

Immediately, the scene quiets, revealing a thrashing Nicholas being held by two of the male vampires. The hostility is thick in the air.

"Let…go…of…Julie!" Nicholas screams, struggling against the firm hold of the surrounding vampires.

Giving Bella a peck on the cheek, Edward releases her to the pixie's care, and walks over to Nicholas. "I have no idea who you are, or what you want from her. But _Bella_ is not going to honor you with her presence any longer. The only thing holding me back from tearing you to shreds is the fact that she's here, watching. But Alice will be kind enough to get her out of the room now, please."

At these words, the fairy picks the girl up and carries her out to the yard, ignoring her loud protests. Edward's position loosens up immensely once this is done, and he devotes his full attention to the vampire in front of him. The detestation of the man in front of him is overpowering, and it takes every bit of Edward's control not to kill him right there and then. But first, he wants answers.

"Let go of me, _now_. She is my Julie, _my Julie_, and if you'd give her a chance to talk, she'd tell you just that. I am not the captor here - you are!" Nicholas' tone is etched with odium and menace. The ruby eyes are fixed on the ocher ones of Edward, the bond between them as sharp as a sword, as toxic as poison. Both yearn for the other's death, both long to see the clouds of smoke coming from their burning bodies…

A nod of the head, and the other male vampires release their grips on Nicholas, letting him fall to the ground. He lands accurately on his feet, not freeing the intense stare. He does not leap at the man though, for he knows his every move would only be blocked by one of his. The other vampires take a step back, not intending to leave the room, but to watch the situation with ominous gazes.

"So, you think _my_ Bella is _your_ Julie. See where I might have a problem with that?" The vampire with the ocher eyes starts circling Nicholas. The latter rises to his feet, and returns the gesture. Both orbit around each other, like two giant planets about to crash into one another in space. All that matters is there, in the middle of their circle, a colossal amount of energy about to burst. Their eyes never leave the stare, communicating the emotions of pure hate and anger.

"She _is_ my Julie. It's too bad your love turned out to be that of mine. But you will get over it, with time. You love her just as much as I do; only she loves _me_ back. Those are the consequences of using copies - they never last. If you really care for her, you will leave now, and let us both in peace. By attacking me you will only cause her pain."

"I was rather under the impression that she was glad about my arrival, actually. Naturally, if she wants me to leave so she can be with you, I will. I will leave and never show myself to her. But until then, she is _mine_. Nobody hurts her, nobody scares her. And that is what you have done."

A growl is building up in both chests, and it is only seconds away from the final attack.

"She is Julie. She remembered, earlier today. She remembered who she really was. Perhaps the memories escaped her again. But either way, she doesn't want you. You mean nothing to her. And you and Isabella know nothing of true love! The bond between you is ridiculously thin, built up on curiosity and bewilderment on both sides. What me and Julie had and still possess is depth and respect, love and cherishing! You want her to live a life of misery? Go ahead, then, destroy me! Perhaps vampires can be reborn, as well, and then I will find her again. I promise, you will never be able to keep her from me! This game will continue for eternity, if that is what you wish. Unless you somehow _do_ feel for her, in which case you will hand her to me."

Edward's eyes are cold, turning black with hatred. How dare he speak of his and Bella's love in such a manner? Only a sparkle of insecurity lights in him for a moment, only to be diminished by the memory of Bella's state as he had arrived. Reincarnation - what foolishness! Bella is only Bella, created by God, living on the Earth for the first time, the Bella who chose him! The words that Nicholas uttered are meaningless, the logic of a madman. And how dare he compare their love to that of his? The love that was filled with arguments, anger, and in the end even the death of the main character?

"If I recall correctly, you were thinking about the day you killed your precious Julie. That is what you call true love? You killed her, sucked the life right out of her!" Edward sees the images fill the vampire's mind again, the memory of the taste of her sweet blood… No, how could such a monster be loved by a human being?

The last comment infuriates Nicholas. Edward has hit the sorest spot of his existence, rubbed salt into the wounds. "Haven't you ever slipped? I remember reading about a killing spree caused by you a few years back. You are as much of a monster as I am, say what you please! Did you not almost kill her when you first met? How many times have you had to leave her room at night, when her scent is almost overpowering? The same could happen to you anytime. You are a hypocrite if you choose not to believe it."

Now Edward's head is filled by memories of his own, the floral smell of Bella's blood when she stirs in her sleep at night, the way the little bedroom is clouded by it, how he must sometimes open the window to remain sane, sometimes even resulting him to go outside to clear his head before Bella wakes up in the morning, unaware of the nightly events. Guilt spreads in him, taking over every fragment of his being, as he recalls all the times when he was close, so close, to taking her life. He cannot help the emotion coming over his face, and Nicholas sneers at the sight of it, "Told you so. You are in no position whatsoever to criticize my mistakes, when you so very nearly made the same!"

But he has never slipped. When the monster threatens to take over, he is always able to walk away.

"No. What I feel for Bella is much stronger than what you and Julie ever shared. I must say, the girl was a fool to be with you, much more foolish than Bella ever was. Look at your crimson eyes, Nicholas! How can a girl love that? You have never learned restraint, and what happened to Julie is a punishment for all that. She was only trying to do the right thing, and you decide to kill her while she is being sensible for once! No, you didn't love her as much as I love Bella, for if you did, you would have done anything she asked you to."

With this, Nicholas pounces on the vampire opposite him, putting an end to the eternal circling. The planets crash.

An earsplitting sound fills the room, like thunder at the beginning of the storm. The lightning follows, causing Nicholas to fly across the table, producing a crack in the thick wood. There is no pause before both vampires are on each other again, moving too fast for the human eye to detect. Loud snarling fills the house, and even Bella can hear this as she waits outside under the pixie's arrest.

Her chest is filled with worry for her loved one, though she knows that Nicholas has not much of a chance with the whole Cullen family there. She must cover her ears from the sound and wishes for it to be over soon, so she can fall back into the arms of the man she has missed for so long.

After what seems like hours to her, the front door opens and Edward steps outside, standing next to her in a blur. The pixie releases Bella, who is then lifted up by Edward, instead. Both lovers embrace each other, muttering words of affection, and then look in each other's eyes, letting the emotions gain control of their features. Bella's cheeks are strained from a week's worth of tears, as well as with fatigue of the many restless nights. Edward's face still reveals hints of the anxiety and concern for his love. But both bear the same expression - that of passion, devotion for each other.

The rest of the vampires join them outside, and then turn to stare back at the house. The windows of the lower floors expose warm light coming from the living room, and slowly the flames begin crawling up the outer wall. No words are spoken as the seven vampires and one human view the fire taking the house in control, the roof eventually collapsing, the walls turning to ash.

And amid all the thick smoke, a dark silhouette, only visible to the girl's eyes, rises up to the sky, meeting a figure of light on its way. The two shapes flow into each other, and finally dissolve in the night air.

The vampire and the human are reunited once again.


End file.
